PRECIOUS woodland would be destroyed as part of plans to build a pedestrian underpass beneath a railway line.

The proposal forms part of a masterplan for North West Bicester and was given the green light by Cherwell District Council last year.

It consists of two crossings of the current mainline between London and Birmingham which runs on an embankment covered by trees and vegetation.

The overall plan is to build a road tunnel, linked to the realignment of Howes Lane, and a pedestrian underpass.

The underpass would allow pedestrians and cyclists to pass between the two sides of the NW Bicester site, which sit either side of the railway.

Following concerns that the environment will be damaged as a result of the build, the site has been surveyed for wildlife.

An ecological report of the site stated "priority broadleaved woodland" was located within the proposed work boundary and the location of the underpass.

The report stated that "it is considered unavoidable that permanent habitat loss would be caused upon priority habitat for the works to take place".

Habitats identified within the proposal area, include semi-natural broad-leaved woodland, dense scrub, semi-improved neutral grassland, arable, hedgerow, scattered trees and bare ground.

All green areas hold "high potential" for nesting birds, according to the report. A survey of the area also found an abundance of rabbit activity on both the southern and northern rail boundary fences.

Cherwell District Council has set a number of recommendations so that landscaping and building work can be carried out as safely as possible to protect the environment.

It recommends that any tree-felling and ground-clearing work is scheduled outside the main nesting bird season and that if not possible, the areas should be checked by an ecologist no more than 48 hours before work starts.

It says that when the underpass is being built, ground-clearing work should be kept to an ‘absolute minimum’ due to ‘priority’ habitats. It said a management plan should be used to minimise the impact of the work.

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Due to the number of trees in the area and their features, they have been collectively assessed to hold a ‘low bat roosting potential’.

Soft felling will therefore have to be carried out under the supervision of a bat-licensed ecologist. Evidence of bats should be looked for when preparing to cut a tree.

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A total of 0.05ha of broad-leaved woodland would be permanently lost and is included within the total permanent loss of 0.2ha of habitat.

But although other habitat losses outside of the rail boundary are considered temporary, they will be directly impacted by a separate proposed development in the near future to build houses.

The underpass works will not take place until the main road tunnel is built.

Cherwell District Council is still in discussion with Network Rail over plans to get a 100-hour track possession in Easter 2021, to allow enough time for the project to to be completed.